The Ashes: Harris, Khawaja in Australia's XI for 2nd Test

Fast bowler Ryan Harris will return to play Test cricket after almost a year.

London: Australia have dropped Mitchell Starc and Ed Cowan from the second Ashes Test beginning at Lord's on Thursday and replaced them with fast bowler Ryan Harris and middle order batsman Usman Khawaja.

Harris, who has been troubled by injury throughout his career, will return to play a Test after more than a year. The team management reportedly believes Harris is better suited to exploit the Lord's pitch that is expected to have some grass on it.

Ed Cowan couldn't do much in the first Test at Nottingham where he scored just 14 runs in two innings. Australia lost the Test by an agonising 14 runs to go 1-0 down in the five-match series.

Starc registered match figures of 5 for 135 at Trent Bridge, but bowled several loose deliveries. With Peter Siddle and James Pattinson bowling well, Starc's ouster was almost on the cards.